The Registered Post

Newsletter no 20 January 2008

The version below is text only. To access the PDF version which includes images, click here.

From the Chairman, Dr Mike Goldstein CBE

This is the time of year when, seasonal festivities over, we all reflect on the year just ended but more especially look forward to fresh challenges of the New Year. For the world of forensic practice, there are many such challenges. Forensic evidence and testimony are even more in the spotlight, new technologies are being questioned, and the relationship between quality assurance and the market place is under scrutiny.

Each of our partners and stakeholders will have their own variants and specifics within this broad prospectus, and CRFP itself has a pivotal role with most. We hope to finalise our Strategic Plan early in 2008, having had some very helpful feedback on the framework which featured in our last newsletter - for which many thanks to all those who responded. There have already been some changes in emphasis as the forensic landscape evolves, not least being the introduction of the post of Forensic Science Regulator - the ground having been laid so ably by Adrian Cory as the Interim Regulator; we look forward to working closely with Andrew Rennison, and playing our part in the standards debate, and in the delivery of quality enhancement in the future.

As we welcome Andrew, so we say farewell to Peter Ablett. Peter was with us for just a short while, but brought energy and ideas which will continue to impact on our work. We wish him well for the future, as we set about seeking his replacement. The Board will give careful consideration to this in the coming weeks. In the interim, Kate Horne is Acting Chief Executive, and I know you will all wish to give her much support and good wishes in her role.

The priority for CRFP in this next period is to grow the register so that we can be assured of financial security as the pump-priming government grant-in-aid phases out. This is not just about extending the range of specialties, although there are some very interesting developments in that area. It is about maintaining rigour of process and value of outcome; ensuring the justice system is fully aware of how the register can be of use; extolling the virtues of registration and the benefits to registrants, employers, the courts, and the public at large. That's a tall order, but with your help I am very confident we will succeed.

Here's to a successful 2008!

A new opportunity: City and Guilds

It will soon be possible for applicants for CRFP registration to be considered at the same time for a 'senior award' of City and Guilds.

The senior awards of C&G are at three levels: Licentiateship (LCGI), at the first level of higher education (supervisory/junior management), Graduateship (GCGI) at Honours degree level (middle management), and Membership (MCGI) at Masters degree level (strategic management/chartered professional). They map to the National Qualifications Framework at levels 4, 6, and 7 respectively. CRFP has recently gained 'Delegated Authority' from C&G to offer these awards.

The intention is that applicants for registration will be able to request that their portfolios of case-work be considered simultaneously and through a unified process for a C&G award - initially only LCGI will be available, but as the scheme develops it might be possible to consider applicants also for the higher awards. There should be no additional burden on applicants, but there is, of course, a fee for the process - expected to be £100 as a one-off payment - as CRFP will have some additional costs and has to pay a fee to C&G. The award carries the entitlement to use 'LCGI' as post-nominals.

The scheme will be of most interest to those who do not have a higher education qualification, and will initially be available to scene examiners, fingerprint specialists, fire examiners, and vehicle collision examiners. The details are still being worked through, and there is still quite a bit to be put in place - for example, training of specialty and lead assessors - but we hope to have a scheme up and running in a few months' time. The scheme will also be available to existing registrants; in practice this will most likely be on revalidation. In the light of experience and demand, extension into other specialties will be possible, as well as into the higher awards.

A more detailed statement will appear on the CRFP website shortly.

Apply to become a CRFP lead or specialty assessor

CRFP is totally dependent on its assessment system and those who provide professional input: the specialty assessors, lead assessors and process verifiers. CRFP is delighted to place on the public record its gratitude to those who contribute to the robustness and integrity of the assessment system and to those who have done so in the past.

We are currently recruiting lead and specialty assessors.

For details of what the roles involve, please consult the Assessors section of the website, www.crfp.org.uk. The advantages of being a CRFP assessor are that you:
• contribute to the standing and professionalism of the specialty;
• assist peers and colleagues to attain registration status;
• receive special training at a course of two days' duration, attended by practitioners from a wide spread of specialties;
• can attend annual Assessors' Seminars, which provide unique networking opportunities;
• can cite assessor status on CVs and similar documents;
• receive a fee of £40 for each assessment or verification/ adjudication you undertake.

Please note that practitioners applying to become specialty assessors are required to hold current registration with CRFP or secure registration within six months of completing their assessor training.

Application packs and further information are available from Ynes Taylor, whose contact details are given on the back page.

Applications will be assessed on paper by a small panel which will include the current lead assessor for the specialty. There is no closing date as such but applications will be processed in the order they arrive so don't delay! We had an encouraging response to our advertisement in the August 2007 newsletter. However, our workload is such that we are still seeking new assessors, especially in the specialties of fingerprint examination, firearms, incident reconstruction, marks, particulates, questioned documents and scene examination, so please step forward now.

Here to help

Our team is here to help. If you have questions about any aspect of our work please e-mail us or contact us at:
CRFP
Tavistock House,
Tavistock Square,
London WC1H 9HX.

General enquiries T: 020 7383 2200
F: 020 7383 0888
E: info@crfp.org

Kate Horne Acting Chief Executive T: 020 7874 1921
E: khorne@crfp.org

Ynes Taylor Member Support & Events Officer T: 020 7874 1924
E: ytaylor@crfp.org

Terence Dourado Registration Officer T: 020 7874 1923
E: tdourado@crfp.org

Andreas Heiner Systems Officer T: 020 7874 1922
E: aheiner@crfp.org

Our website can be found at www.crfp.org.uk and contains all you need to know about how we work, the people involved, all our major publications and helpful links to other sites in the forensic world. You can download your application forms and make copies for colleagues. And if you are registered you can find your own name!

Your contact details